Supporting healthcare for a stronger community: Games platinum sponsor Drive Muskoka raises $15,000 for local hospital

“The hospital is an integral part of our community,” says Jason Armstrong, owner of Drive Muskoka. “A community of this size without a hospital is a scary thought so we need to give back to the community that gives to us.”

This summer, Drive Muskoka, Huntsville 2019’s platinum sponsor, ran its fourth annual Drive for Your Hospital event. For every new or used vehicle purchased in August, the company donated $100 to the area’s three local hospitals. It was the most successful event yet, with $14,700 raised for Huntsville Hospital and another $5,000 for the hospitals in Bracebridge and Parry Sound.

“Jason Armstrong and his dealerships have taken the lead in the community,” said Katherine Craine, Executive Director at the Huntsville Hospital Foundation. “They were among the first in our Business Cares campaign and have always been behind the hospital. We are truly grateful for this kind of support where it involves other community members.”

It’s not the only thing Drive Muskoka has done to support the hospital. In 2015, the Drive Muskoka team donated $150,000, funds raised partially through employee giving incentive and match. Prior to that, they donated funds for surgical equipment at the hospital. And they were one of the first companies to join the Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s Business Cares Program which asks businesses to each pledge $5,000 per year over five years.

Armstrong estimates that Drive Muskoka has raised close to $250,000 for the hospital to date, and says that their customers appreciates the way they give back to the community.

Drive Muskoka supports many other community groups as well, including the Chrysalis women’s shelter, minor sport, and Hospice Huntsville.

And, of course, the Huntsville 2019 Ontario 55+ Winter Games.

“I think supporting winter events is a big part of our community continuing to grow,” says Armstrong. “Bringing people to Huntsville and Muskoka is a wonderful thing in the winter—it’s not just a summer destination. And it’s a lot of fun.”

Thanks for your support of the Games and the community at large, Drive Muskoka!